Péter Vincze has not only signed a new contract, but also completed one of the most successful seasons of his career: He won the First League, Romanian Cup and Super Cup with Gheorgheni Hockey Club, and played for the national team at the Group A World Championship, where he scored goals to help the Hungarian team qualify for the tournament. In the interview, he discusses the joys, the difficulties, the most important goal, the Swiss goal music and his summer plans – all after a season he himself describes as “perfect”.
For every GYHK fan, last season will be unforgettable, how did you experience it from the inside, from the ice, which trophy was the most exciting moment for you? But let’s not just talk about the good things, were there (and if so what were) any difficulties that were not easy to overcome?
Indeed, this season could not have been better! The sold-out games against Csíkszereda in the Erste final were a memorable experience for all of them. After last year’s semi-final exit, it was a great feeling to win the trophy again this year in a Szekler derby. The difficulty this year was the injuries, Dani was late to join because of his knee, then Dallas got injured, then we lost Sly for the season and even Sammy, who came in to replace him, got injured. But there were always people who stepped up at times like that, which helped the team a lot, so the major lows were avoided this year.
You scored 48 points in the Erste League and did your fair share of winning the Super Cup, the Romanian Cup and the championship. Which goal or assist was the most important for you?
If I have to highlight one of my goals, it was in the Romanian championship final with Sepsis, when I was able to finish a beautiful pass from Dani Tranca in the 50th minute, at 1-1, which ended up being the winning goal and the first Continental Cup in our history.
You were part of the Hungarian national team at the Group A World Cup, where you scored two goals and an assist. How was the World Cup for you?
The World Cup was a great experience, so to stay in it was the crowning glory of a perfect season. The games are high tempo, and this is even more true when you are up against Switzerland, USA or the Czech Republic. It’s nice to play against the kind of guys you see on the NHL recaps every morning during the season. The surroundings were very professional as well, we had everything, we really just had to play the game. The Hungarian fans created a great atmosphere in every game.
Qualification was decided after the Switzerland-Kazakhstan match. So you could only cheer for yourselves from the outside, so to speak. How did you experience that match?
At Amsterdam airport we were all excited together watching the match, I don’t think anyone thought it would be a draw for nearly 50 minutes, but then luckily the paper came out and Switzerland won confidently. We had a happy journey home and even listened to the Swiss goal music a few times.
After a very long season, you need a rest. What kind of summer are you planning?
For 3 weeks now, the main focus is on rest and repairing minor injuries. I’m trying to spend as much quality time as possible with my wife and kids, as successful as the season has been, it’s been a long one, so we’re happy to finally be back together as a family. There will also be a holiday in Croatia later this summer, which I’m looking forward to.
What do you expect from yourself next season and what do you expect from the team?
I will start preparing for the next season from mid-June, there are a lot of titles we want to defend and we will do it in a new beautiful facility, so I am excited for the next season. I am motivated to win more trophies with this great team. And to the fans, thank you for your support throughout the year, I’m glad you were part of this unforgettable season! I will never forget the celebrations in the city after the First Final, it was incredible! Have a great summer, rest up for next season, see you in August!
Hajrá Gyergyó!
